Categories
Language and Society

Language Diversity

I believe deeply that a multiplicity of languages is one of God’s great gifts to the human race. You can hear me waxing lyrical on this subject on MP3 here (about thirty mins). However, even I think that you can have too much of a good thing and I feel very sorry for the teachers […]

Categories
Mission

Pragmatic Linguistics Applied to Translation

Jim Harries, has just posted an excellent paper on his website which he has also submitted to the International Journal of Frontier Missions. I don’t have the time to comment in detail on what he says, but it is a wide ranging paper covering everything from translation theory to post-colonial politics. You can find the […]

Categories
Language Vitality

The Death of a Language

The Guardian has an article on the death of the last Eyak speaker in Alaska. The headline says that the loss of this language is worse than bombing the Louvre. To my mind, it may be even worse than that. The loss of a language in analogous to the loss of a biological species. Languages […]

Categories
Bible Translation

John Stott on Christian Language

Having read this quote at Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth, I’ve decided that I must buy The Living Church: The Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor by John Stott. Some Christian people seen to be in bondage to words and formulas, and so become prisoners of a gospel stereotype. They wrap up their message in […]

Categories
Language and Society

The International Year of Langauges

“The first instrument of a people’s genius is its language,” said the French writer Stendhal. Literacy, learning, social integration….Everything transits through language, which embodies national, cultural and sometimes religious identity for each person. It constitutes one of the fundamental dimensions of a human being. Yet specialists estimate that within only a few generations, more than […]

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Do Not Use

Samovar ouvert, sereine beau

More wonderful French poetry, but it really doesn’t work without the video!

Categories
Do Not Use

French Poetry

Thanks to Steve for sending me this via Facebook. It is an example of how French can be so much more poetic and expressive than English. Y est-ce deux dés? Hors métropole, cime sauf à roué. Nord aide luxe associé rires toussoutés. O Abel Yvelines, y est-ce deux dés? Cède un lit Armes nor’af semaine […]

Categories
Translation

Translating Major Literature into Arabic

There is an interesting article in the Independent about the Kalima project which aims to revive the art of translation across the Arab world and reverse the long decline in Arabic readers’ access to major works of global literature, philosophy, science and history. Read the whole thing here. Inspired by Mr Nagy, a literature-loving Egyptian […]

Categories
Church: UK Languages Mission

Language Learning

There were a couple of times in Ivory Coast – New Testament Dedications – where I started off a speech with a paragraph in the local language. Now I didn’t speak those languages, and I didn’t really know what I was saying except in the broadest terms. But armed with a reasonable ear and a […]

Categories
Bible Translation Languages Madagascar

Bible Translation in Action

A few days ago Sue wrote; “I don’t know why I feel so tired”. Well, this video proves that she had earned the right to feel tired. In this two minute clip she isn’t checking a translation for quality – which is the normal consultant’s role – but rather helping the team to produce a […]